Watch: Down Royal drama as Gordon Elliott-trained pair exit at the last

There was a dramatic start to the action at Down Royal, as Gordon Elliott’s pair of Theflyingking and Kazansky both came down at the final flight, to leave the race at the mercy of Henry de Bromhead’sSome Song.

Jack Kennedy aboard 1-3 favourite Theflyingking looked to have shaken off his stablemate on the run to the last but stepped at the final obstacle, bringing down the pursuing Kazansky who was at least booked for second.

That left De Bromhead’s 7-2 second-favourite to take advantage and make a winning hurdling debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle that Elliott had won nine times in the last 10 years.

De Bromhead said: “We were fortunate winners, obviously, but he’s a nice horse.

“Darragh (O’Keeffe) said he just got a bit tired after he jumped the third-last and they just quickened away from him.

“Delighted for (owner) Mike Roden, it’s his first winner and he is one of the owners of the racecourse.

“We said we would come up and give him a run, we didn’t think we would be winning, but there you go – happy days, we are delighted!”

When asked if he could roll on to Navan for the Grade Three Monksfield Novice Hurdle, he added: “We’ll see, we will enjoy today definitely.

“The plan was to find a horse that could hopefully win up here, one day not on the first day! We’ll see how we go after that.”

De Bromhead also claimed the Grade Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle with Full Of Life.

However, usual service for Elliott at the Lisburn venue was soon resumed when he won the feature Listed bottlegreen Hurdle for the fifth straight year with 1-4 favourite Casheldale Lad.

He joins the likes of Irish Point and Brighterdaysahead to win this race in recent years and was cut to 12-1 for the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Elliott is keeping options open and said: “He is (going the right way) and Jack (Kennedy) said he has actually gone so laid-back from a horse that was very keen.

“He said he won with plenty in hand and was actually idling in front. He enjoyed himself, but he wasn’t doing a whole lot in front – he was very idle.

“We’ll get him home and see how he is and we’ll make our mind up. He has entries in them all (including the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown) and we’ll see what we do.”

There was a sting in the tail for jockey Sam Ewing after the opening race, receiving a one-day ban for remounting Kazansky after being brought down.